Alrighty folks, Harry here. Here we have some interesting back and forth from various reviewers and viewers of THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY. I've received a good 30 or so reviews and found that these 4 really seem to say everything that all the others were going for. We have a 3 to 1 ratio here. 3 very positives for every negative I've received. And the film isn't complete just yet. There is still quite a bit of work to be done on the film, but it really seems to be shaping up as Harvey's rabbit to pull out at Awards time. Should be interesting.
Harry,
I am a long time reader and I never really had the notion to write a review for you until this evening. Let me just give some indication of where I am coming from. Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Toronto Film Festival where I saw fourteen films in five days. Among them are future classics such as “American Movie,” “Felicia’s Journey,” and “Boys don’t Cry” which are most likely the best films of the year. That is until I was invited to a test screening tonight on the Paramount Studios lot of “The Talented Mister Ripley.” Oh my God Harry, Anthony Minghella (The English Patient)has done it again.
Minghella makes you feel like he started making films with David Lean in the fifties and somehow was transported to present time to erase every piece of crap (Stigmata) that has been put on screen in recent times. The film is a fascinating and unpredictable character study that will have viewers second-guessing themselves until the last frame has refracted through the retinas. Coupled with the fact that this is one of the most beautifully shot films I have seen since “The English Patient” it has the one, two punch to knock any other film out come Oscar time.
Speaking of Oscar, the one performance the stands far and above the A-list cast is Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf. He all but steals the thunder away from award winners Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Cate Blanchett. I will go on record right now as writing that his performance is a lock for best supporting actor. That is not to say that Damon’s role should be thrown out with last night’s dinner. He gambles by playing one of the most daring roles a major heartthrob could ever chose after such recent success. You could never in a million years guess what his character is up to, even to the very end. My only negative comment is the casting of Cate Blanchett. She plays the same American character as she did in “Pushing Tim.” Where is Rhonda Morgenstern when we need her the most?
To sum up my opinion this film takes high risks and is unpredictable in its storytelling. Minghella is a poet among paperback hacks most recognized by their lack of respect for the viewer and inability to challenge the intelligence of their audience.
Signing off for now Harry and by the way you can just refer to me as “A Friend of Mister Ripley” in the future.
Here's our little monkey boy, Curious George with a quite length spoiler filled plot-laying out review of the film. But he really did love the film as best as I can tell. He had a couple of nitpicks, but really believes the film will be remembered around awards time.
I have been a fan for many years, but this is my first opportunity to supply you with some info. I only moved to LA a couple of months ago and while I was out and about last weekend on 3rd St. in Santa Monica (saw Stir Of Echoes - a good one, if only it had been released before the Sixth Sense!)I got offered a screening pass from some NRG freak(where did they get this guy?) for THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY.
Now, having only read about the movie in Ent. Weekly, etc. I was a bit suspicious, thought I would be seeing some other bad Paramount or Miramax film instead. I was wrong. The screening was Wednesday night on the Paramount lot. I brought a friend of mine who works for a studio in town (we even joked with the NRG guy that he worked in the biz and they STILL gave us the pass) It wasn't the biggest theater (and it was fucking freezing!!!!), but better than the local Beverly Center that's for sure. I don't know how many of these test screenings they have had, but I definetely saw Harvey Weinstein there and it looked like there were a bunch of other studio execs there too.
Anyhow, on to the movie. I was not the biggest ENGLISH PATIENT fan. I thought it was horribly overrated and I never connected to any of the characters. I just remember waiting for them all to die (or hoping they would). But a movie with Matt Damon, Queen Gwyenth, Jude Law and Cate Blanchett had me very curious. I've always liked Damon, Law and Blanchett. Paltrow is another one of those overrated actresses (did she really deserve that Oscar?)but some of her films have been good career choices(OK, I liked Sliding Doors, I'l admit it). Big suprise when watching the opening credits was there was no Bob and Harvey Weinstein Executive Producers credit. Don't they put that on everything Miramax has a hand in?
Again, the movie. Starts off with Tom Ripey (Matt Damon) living in some dump in NYC and working as a restroom attendent and part time piano player. He's recruited by a rich steel(?) company owner who wants him to go to Italy and convince his son "Dickie" to come back to the states. Dickie's father stupidly infers froma jacket Ripley wears that he has gone to Princeton around the same time as Dickie which Tom plays along with. So, off to Italy he goes in a style and extravagance he's never had in his life.
Right after docking in Italy he meets Meredith(?)(Cate Banchett)another daughter of a wealthy family who can't wait to esape them by fleeing to Italy. Riply trying to impress I presume, introduces himself as "Dickie Greenleaf" and she buys it. They part ways, but this comes back to haunt him later on.
Ripley heads for a small village on the coast where Dicke has been staying with his girlfriend "Marge"(Gwyenth). After spying on them for a bit, he (looking might dorky too I might say) introduces himself to them on the beach, mentioning that he and Dickie had gone to Princeton together. Dickie doesn't remember it, but they end up offering to have lunch with him. A couple of days later (?) Marge runs into him on the street and actually offers lunch again. They click and Dickie shows up at Marge's place to find Ripley there. Ripley ends up letting on that he has been sent there to bring Dickie back to the states. This infuriates Dickie who decides to make Ripley a 'Double Agent' against his Dad. They become pals, but it's pretty obvious after a number of scenes that Ripley's interest in Dickie isn't just monetary or platonic. Now, being a gay guy myself this was somewhat of a surprise, I had not heard of this angle to the film.
Ripley and Dickie become good friends shown in a number of scenes where Ripley follows Dickie around like a puppy dog. But wouldn't you? Jude Law, whom has been great before, is SUPERB here. He's playing a character that has a number of egoistic, selfish and immoral characterisitc's but you can't help but like him. Law totally charms the hell out of Ripley and the audience.
Slowly, Dickie becomes suspicious of Ripley (which starts dramatically in a scene where the two play chess while Law is taking a bath - the tension when Ripley asks "Can I get in?" is priceless). After Dickie's Dad decides to stop sending Ripley money since Dickie is obviously not coming home, Dickie announces he's planning on leaving the small town they have all been staying in.
Dicke and Ripley end up going up the coast as Dicke wants to search for a new pad up there. Things come to a head as Dicke exposes a number of lies that Ripley has been perptrating to make it easier for them to be friends. Dickie laughs it off though but Ripley becomes more agitated knowing that he is "loosing" Dickie. They go off in a small boat to explore this north bay of Italy where things get even more heated. A confrontation errupts and Ripley ends up killing Dickie. What's so interesting about this is that Mingella has made it a much more defensive killing then you would have thought. He seems to want us to have sympathy for Ripley. The killing itself though is brutal, especially in contrast to the picturesque rich italian life we have seen previously. It recalls the "interrogation scene" in English Patient and is very effective in spooking the audience.
Ripley ends up throwing Dickie's body overboard but only after we have a nice overhead shot of Ripley embracing Dickie's dead body in the boat for a bit. He brings the boat back to and and then sinks it off the coast.
The next part of the film has Ripley assuming Dickie's identity, something that had been hinted at previously in a number of scenes where Ripley would notice that their reflections in a train passenger car window and how similar they were and how they could pass for each other (it helps that Dickie has a bad passport photo too). Showing the diabolical nature of his character, Ripley sends off a note to Marge (who we learned had become Dickie's fiancee)saying he is going to Rome for some time to himself. Marge is suspicious but believe's Ripley at this point.
Enjoying his new identity and making a styish transformation, Ripley/Dickie is in Rome when he runs into Meredith again shopping. They beging to socialize with each other because, as Meredith says, they are "both bourgeouisee who despise their inherited wealth" but can't bear to socialize with anyone else (nice 50's class theme). Meredith is falling for Ripley/Dickie though and Blanchett is wonderfully subtle in suggesting this where the script does not. She brings a different energy to the film that is a great change of pace after the gruesome end to the real Dickie.
At the Opera one night (don't know what the Opera was but it was another metaphor for Ripley being haunted by killing Dickie)with Meredith he runs into Marge who is in town with her friend Peter Kingsly Smith (don't know the actor, but british and charming)and she quiz's him on Dickie's whereabouts. Ripley talks his way gets out of it and quickly exits the Opera with Meredith before he gets caught with her. He then let's Meredith know that he has to stop seeing her as he truely loves Marge. Blanchett is again excellent in this scene showing her disappointmentin "Dickie's" rejection of her.
Showing how coniving and smart Ripley can be, he sets up a meeting with Meredith and Marge the next day at the same time. Watching from afar, his plan works as they "meet" and Meredith ends up assuring Marge that Dickie is #1, alive and #2 been faithful to her while in Rome.
Ripley continues to settle in Rome, getting an apartment and being somewhat haunted, seeing images of the real Dickie while looking at Mirror's. This is where the film slows down a bit and a good 5 minutes could be cut.
An old friend we had met earlier played by Philip Seymour Thomas (great as always) shows up looking for Dickie. Ripley thought he had hidden himself as Dickie away from anyone who would search for him, but Thomas' character was smarter than he thought. Thomas' character figures out whats really going on and ends up become the second victim of Ripley.
The rest of the film details the Police getting involved in Thomas' characters murder and Ripley/Dickie becoming the main suspect. Events continue to surprise as Ripley gets out of Rome and escapes to Venice with what appears to be a soul mate in Peter Kingsley Smith. (Lots of obvious mutual attraction here.)
There are a number of additional twists and an ending that is quite poignant. To some people it will be almost touching. To go into more detail would give it away, but it is clear that Minghella is working with some of the same themes from English Patient. One being, his attempt to make dispicable or unlikeabe characters utterly sympathetic, no matter what they do. Unlike EP, it works well here and the audience will leave feeling sorry for Ripley, but mad at themselves for feeling that way.(Can you tell it's not commercial?)
Acting, as mentioned before is first rate all around. Damon isn't perfect as Ripley, but he's better than he's been in a long, long time and has some excellent scenes. Paltrow gives a fine multi layered performance, I thought she showed more acting skills here than in Shakespheare In Love. Law is amazing. If he doesn't get some recognition for his role here it's a crime. It is a very hard role to pull off and he succeeds beautifully. Can't rave enough about Blanchett. There is no need in the plot for her to be in the film anymore than she is, but you'd love to see more of her.
The cinematography (John Seale I think) is wonderful. Italy was never on my top ten list for overseas travel, but it is now. There are a number of jazz club scenes in the film and you get to hear Damon sing "My Funny Valentine" (I think it's his voice) and the score itself is memorable and effective.
The film's homosexual themes are very strong. It's pretty clear that Ripley is gay (or at least minorly bisexual)although no sex scenes or kissing is shown. What might get lost to some audiences is a metaphor Ripley uses while talking the Peter Kingsly Smith character about how he has a "dark" room in him where he doesn't have the key to open it up. Peter is going to be the one to do that for him. It's a strong metaphor of the time period of the film, when so many had to be in the closet and had self internalized their gay feelings. It may actually go over some people's heads but it was unexpected shading to Ripley's character that helps explain a lot.
This film will definetely not be for everyone, it's neither a straight drama nor thriller. It has high aspirations, but delivers on them. I will be stunned if it's not remembered at Award time.
That's basically it Harry. Couldn't get a handle on the audience's reaction. Think they liked it, but the ending hit's you over the head you sort of leave the theater numb. My friend who accompanied me ended up calling me back two hours after we saw it to gather his thoughts about it.
Can't wait to see what you think of it.
Call me..."Curious George"
BigJackieV is our next spy/reviewer and he seems to have the problem with the film that both me and Moriarty have been anticipating. And that is the amoral nature of our dear Mr Ripley. He's not supposed to be the good guy in this film, and shouldn't be played as such. You should have conflicted feelings with liking him. But it'll be interesting to see how mainstream audiences take hold of the film and the character. Not everyone is going to love this one... But... if you buy his character, you'll probably completely embrace this film. Now... Onto BigJackieV...
Hey Harry,
Pseudo-spy and occasional talkbacker BigJackieV here. Of course, the e-mail on my talkback name is different. Call me paranoid. Couldn't really call myself a spy because, see, I'm a college student. They were handing out free invitations to a screening. Voila...
Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley was test screened at Paramount Studios (why Paramount, I have no idea. It's a Miramax film and Harvey himself was there...). As I stood in line looking at the contract thingy...you know: This is a work in progress, the filmmaker has the right to have his unfinished product screened without worry of blah blah blah...as I read that, I was thinking "Minghella's got nothing to worry about." My hopes were up for this one. I'm not familiar with his other work, but The English Patient and this are both about men with no social/cultural identity in Italy. Minghella's definitely got his story to tell...unfortunately, this isn't the greatest one he's got.
First off, performances across the board are more or less good. The best being Gwyneth Paltrow as Jude Law's girlfriend, who (like many others) loves Dicki Greanleaf but is also deeply hurt by him. Philip Seymour Hoffman does for Freddie Miles here what he did for Scottie in Boogie Nights. and Cate Blanchett is great as a dense American tourist (her butchered Italian completely captures this character). I've left out, of course, Jude Law as the rich playboy and Matt Damon as the title character. Good performances but something's wrong there...
Minghella's screenplay could be the source of the problem. (Incidentally, I'm not familiar with the source novel). The way he weaves together the story, especially towards the beginning, is clunky and forced. By comparison, The English Patient is so effortless and clean in all its flashbacks and subplots. In Mr. Ripley, turns are taken that seem to come out of nowhere. Explanations and revelations follow but they seem fabricated. Mind you, I'm nitpicking, but it's just that something is off during the first act.
Another problem, much more important: Ripley is completely amoral. This is precisely what makes him intriguing, but at the same time, he is our protagonist for the film. At one point, it seems that he may be a tragic villain of sorts, but by the end of the movie, the fact of the matter is I simply didn't care for him. On top of that, the film brings no pay off of any sort. The film about Mr. Ripley barely scratches the surface of the character. Perhaps that is the point...he's a methodical, cold-blooded machine...but the flick runs over the 2:30 mark. It hints and teases that Ripley has a past "locked up in a basement" and that someone may have the key. I, for one, would have liked for someone to open it up.
All in all, an interesting flick but disappointing. The film held my attention, but on more than one occasion I hoped it would end, and it pushed on. There's a lot of potential in the premise that it follows through on, and there's a lot more it needs to. Italy looks great in it, the soundtrack should be great if it contains all the jazz that Ripley and Dicki love (the score itself was rather bland). Go check it out to see Mr. Ripley's talent...as far as seeing who Mr. Ripley is...well, I wanted to ask Harvey about Dogma afterward.
Hope this is cool enough
-BigJackieV
And here Busta Brains seems to have really enjoyed the film...
Dear Harry,
Long time reader, first time poster. While it seems like everyone and their mother has been to a test screening, I just went to my first one tonight. And so I had to write you.
On the Paramount lot, I saw THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY. There is a lot of talent involved in the film -- The English Patient's director Anthony Minghella, Gwenyth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Kate Blanchett -- and I must say that it definitely pays off. All it all it, was a beautifully crafted character-study/ thriller. I think a previous review has elaborated on the plot/ story so I'll skip that except to say it's a compelling story dealing with issues of identity, love, loneliness, despair, desire, sexuality -- basically all the worthwhile stuff. To quote Tom Ripley, the basic question of the movie is whether "...it's better to be a fake somebody, than to be a real nobody." Onwards.
All the characters are vividly drawn. Jude Law is excellent and really draws out the "you love him/ you hate him" nuances of his character's personality. Paltrow notches up another wonderfully acted role. Blanchett's role is smaller, but her acting is nonetheless potent. Finally, Damon is both powerful and convincing in his role. He plays Ripley with this kind of just-barely-under-control intensity that fully realizes his character's yearning.
It's also a very attractive cast, one that near perfectly compliments the stunning Italian locations. Minghella effectively shapes this world on the Italian riviera and transports you into it. The movie has a real sense of place to it.
I don't want to caution that there were some slight problems. At moments it feels a little slow (although the two plus hours go by pretty fast). And there is at least one pretty brutal scene that started to make my stomach churn. But it's important to keeping in mind that these are definitely fixable things. I don't think that movie comes out for a few months, so there's plenty of time. Regardless, it's more a question of making an excellent film into a superlative film.
Busta Brains
